time there are many moderately good medium-paced bowlers now bowling with some success in first-class matches who would be much more deadly and successful could they add about half as much speed again to their bowling. There are, of course, men who, on the other hand, spoil a good style by trying to bowl too fast— men who depend for their success on peculiarity in flight and the work on the ball. Every man must judge for himself; if he possess great powers of twist combined with accuracy, and anything peculiar or difficult to see in his action, then let him devote himself to slow or mediumpaced bowling.
It is strange that English first-class cricket is so devoid of really fast bowling. Ulyett, of Yorkshire, now that Allan Hill, of the same county, has retired (and good luck go with him for as honest and cheery a cricketer as ever bowled a ball), is with one exception the only quite fast bowler playing at the present time. There have been brilliant comets for a season or so, who have shone brightly and then quickly disappeared. Harrison, of Yorkshire, seemed likely to make his mark, but after a brilliant beginning vanished from the scene of first-class cricket Crossland, of Lancashire, for a brief period, mowed down the County Palatine's opponents like ninepins, but he has now likewise retired—a victim to the just cry against unfair bowling. Ulyett's only companion in first-class cricket as a fast bowler is Bowley, of Surrey. We have heard a great diversity of opinion with regard to this bowler. The writer has seen and played against him on several occasions, and thinks he is at the time of writing the best fast bowler in England; but he is the best of a bad lot. Bowley certainly is very fast, and has the additional advantage of being much faster than he looks. If he could raise his arm a few inches and still maintain the same pace, he would be a fine bowler. The amateur fast bowlers of the last few years who have taken part in big matches are Rotherham, Christopherson, Whitby, and Toppin. Rotherham, at the beginning of his career, his last year at Uppingham and the year following, was doubtless a very deadly
